Fire extinguisher



April 28, 1931. J. o. LEWIS AL 1,303,025

FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed June 11 192 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTQRS 5 Jar/275s 0 QW/S.

4 By W//) L. U/7/7.

A TTORNEY Patented Apr. 28, 1931 JAMES 0.-LEWIS Ann IRWIN 1311mm TULSA, oxtAHoMA FIRE EXTINGUISHER Application filed June 11,

Our invention relates to a fire extinguishing attachment for compressors and more particularly to apparatus of this character for use in connection with compressors employed in supplying pressure medium for lifting'oil from wells.

In pumping oil from deep wells by air lift, it is economical to ire-circulate the pressure medium after its separation from the recovered liquid, but owing to danger of explosion of the pressure medium, due to association of oxygen in the air with hydrocarbon content of the oil with which the-air becomes saturated during the'lifting process,

5 it is hazardousto employ air alone, and natural gas has generally been substituted for the air because of its non-explosive properties. Even with the use of. natural gas as a pressure medium, danger of explosion has not been entirely eliminated, as suiiicient air occasionally enters into association, with the gas to cause explosion when the medium has been compressed and is ignited from sparks or overheating of the compressor. I It is an object of our invention to automatically stop operation of the compressor from which the pressure medium .is supplied when contents of the line has reached a temperature slightly below the ignition point, by short circuiting the circuit of the engine operating the compressor, and to extinguish fire which may result from explosion in the line by liquid released "to the line under control of means responsive to temperature in the line. p

* In" accomplishing these objects wehave provided improveddetails of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a compressor equipped with my improvements.

Fig. 2'is an enlarged side elevation of the extinguishing attachment, parts. being in central, vertical section for better illustration.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged central vertical section of the upper portion of the float chamber showing the float and relative parts in normal position. I

Fig. 4 is an enlarged central vertical sec- 1928. Serial No. 284,481.

tion of the lower part of the control valve mechanism showing the valve closed.

Fig. 5 is a similar View showing the valve open. v

Fig.6 is a central vertical section of the upper part *of a-float chamber showing a modified form of the shorticircuiting mechanis1n.-- I

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a compressor of conventional 0 form including the compressor cylinder 2 and engine 3, the latter of explosion type fired by a suitable sparking device (not shown) the composite structure being mounted on a single base 4, and the com- 5 pressor and'engine cylinders being watercooled as indicated b'ythe conduits 5, 6, 7 and 8. I o

.9 designatesa pressure medium line which may lead from a trap or separator wherein 7 the oil and pressure medium delivered from a well are separated, and 10 a flow line leadingfrom the compressor back to the well, the flow line 10 being preferably connected with the compressor cylinder by a T 11 and and nipple 12, with the T arranged vertically and connected with the flow line-through a coupling section 13, the coupling being fitted with an insulated contact member 14 connected with the ignition element of the engine and adapted for cooperation with com plementary short circuiting mechanism hereafter described. 1 T I Connected witlrthe upper portion of the T 11,- is .a crown fitting 15 having a vertical channel including a lower threaded socket 16 and an upper threaded socket'17 of greater diameter than thesocket 16. i

Suspendedfrom the crown 15 by screw threadedattachment. in the socket 16, is a tube 18 projected through the T fitting. 11 and having a restricted lower end provided with'aport 19 and valve seat 20.

Threaded onto the restricted lower end of the tube 18, is a tubular cage 21, closed at its lower end except for the central opening 22 and having lateral ports-23 located below the nipple 12 of the T fitting, the under Surface of the head 24 of the cage 21 being provided with a central seal 25 receivingtheboss 26 100 of a fusible plug 27 which is soldered to the head 24 to close the port 22.

Threaded through the plug 27 on the cage 21 is the shank 28 of a valve support 29, having a head 30 on its inner end provided with a central stud 31 forming an annular upwardly facing seat; the outer portion of the shank being preferably provided with a handle bar 32 whereby the shank may be manipulated to adjust tension of a spring 33 sup ported on the head 29 within the cage,the bottom end of the shank being engageable with the contact 14 in the coupling section 13. Thespring 33 is of expansion coil type and supports the ball valve 34 yieldingly to its seat for preventing escape of extinguishing liquid from the tube 18.-

Threaded into the socket 17 in the top of the crown 15 is a nipple 35, connected through a coupling 36 with the outlet line 37 of a bottle-like receptacle 38 normally containing a supply of fire extinguishing liquid 39; the outlet end of the receptacle converging to the line 37 to provide free discharge from the receptacle and complete drainage thereof.

The receptacle is provided at its upper end with an.inl.et pipe 40 fitted with a valve 41, and a neck 42 extendingupwardly from the receptacle is connected with a pressure line 43 leading from the compressor" outlet line lOand adapted for conducting pressure medium from the outlet line to the top of the receptacle, thereby equalizing the pressure at the opposite ends of the receptacle so that the liquid when released may fiow unrestrictedly into the flow line, the line 43 having a valve 43 for controlling flow to the top of the receptacle.

Protruding sidewardly from the neck 42, and from a substantially central position on the receptacle 38 are nipples 44 and 45 connecting with a vertically extending barrel 46 fitted at its ends with caps 47 to provide a closed chamber 48 for containing a quantity of liquid introduced from the receptacle through the ni ple 45.

In orderthat the liquid may be maintained at a proper levelin the receptacle, we

prefer to provide a gauge glass 49 mounted on the side of the receptacle so that the con I dition of the liquid may be readil yobserved,

v mechanism, the bottom end of the barrel beext-ended below the inlet nipple 45 to provide a trap 50 to insure the retention of a quantity of the liquid in the bottom of the barrel after a discharge from the receptacle and thereby provide a positive contact for of less diameter than the interior of the barrel. and adapted for contacting with the contact finger 52 as indicated in dotted lines Fig. 3.

I The float 55 comprises a tubular body 58 having a closed bottom 59, a conical shaped head 60 and vent ports 61 immediately'below the head, the lower edge of the head extending beyond the walls of the body to serve as a deflector for liquid entering the barrel from above the float and thereby pre venting the liquid from passing into the float through the ports.

-The.ports 61 serve as inlets for the line 7 pressure into the interior of the float for equalizing the pressure on-the float walls and thereby eliminating the crushing strain on the member.

Assuming a compressor, of the type illustrated equipped with my invention, the operation is as follows Under normal conditions the compressor will operate in the usual manner for circulating pressure medium through the well for lifting oil. Should airbe admitted to the circulating line in an amount sufiicient 1 to constitute an explosive mixture and under such conditions should the compressor become overheated and the mixture ignited in the flow line, or should the compressor cylinder become sufliciently overheated without ignition of the mixture, high tem perature in the outlet line will fuse the plug 27 and release the spring support sofithat the latter will drop, relieving the valve 34 and opening the port 22 in the bottom of the tube 18 leading from theliquid receptacle. V c

When the port isopen, weight of the liq uid in the receptacle will cause such liquid to flow out through the ports 23 of the cage 21 and into the volume of pressure medium in the outlet line 10, extinguishing fire in the line or preventing ignition of the mixture' therein. I q I hen the liquid is released from the res ceptacle 38 it also passes from the barrel 48 thereby permitting the float 55 to recede in the chamber until the contact plate 57 moving downward with the float arrives in engagement withthe finger 52.

When the plate 57 is engaged with the contact finger 52 the bottom of the float will be suspended in the liquid retained in the trap 50 thus insuring a positive short circuiting contact for the engine ignition circuit through the cable line 54, the additional short circuit mechanism being provided to insure stopping of the compressor in the event of failure of the short circuiting contact 14 and 28.

It is apparent from the foregoing that my attachment constitutes a safety appliance for preventing fire and explosion in the pressure line by preventing or suppressing combustion of the pressure medium, and for automatically controlling the compressor to prevent damages in case of overheating.

In the modified form of short circuiting mechanism shown in Fig. 6, the barrel 46 includes an upper removable section 62 connected to the lower section 68 by a coupling 64-.

A contact sleeve 65 having an upper flange v66 fitted with upwardly projecting pins 67 is mounted in an insulator bushing 68 interposed between the barrel sections and a contact connector 69 mounted in the bushing is connected withthe sleeve by a pin 70- and provided with a terminal 71 for connection with the engine ignition circuit.

The plate 57 onthe upper end of the rod 56 is adapted for engagement with the pins 67 of the sleeve 65 for effecting a short circuiting contact.

What We claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. In combination with a compressor and its flow line, and an engine for operating the compressor including an engine ignition element and its circuit, a short circuiting branch on said circuit including a contact point, a receptacle for extinguishing fluid having an outlet to the compressor flow line, a valve for said outlet, means normally seating said valve including a. fusible member responsive to abnormal-rise temperature in said flow line for permitting the valve to open, and means for short circuiting the.

engine ignition element, said means being actuated by the opening movement of the valve.

2. In combination with a compressor and.

branch on said circuit including a contact 'point, a receptacle for extinguishing fluid having an outlet to the compressor flow line, a valve for said outlet, means normally seating said valve including a fusible member responsive to abnormal rise in temperature in said flow line for permitting the valve to open and engageable with said contact point to short circuit the engine ignition element,

said means being actuated by the opening movement of the valve.

3. In combination with a compressor and its flow line, and an engine for operating the compressor including an engine ignition element and its circuit, a short circuiting branch on said circuit including a contact 'point, a receptacle for extinguishing fluid ment including a contact point in the ignition circuit, a float operable with change of level of liquid in the receptacle, and means novable' with the float engageable with said last named contact point.-

4. In combination with a compressor and its flow line, and an engine for operating the compressor including an engine ignition element and its circuit, a short circuiting branch on said circuit includingv a contact polnt, a receptacle for extinguishing fluid having an outlet to the compressor flow line, a valve for said outlet, means normally seating said valve including a fusible member responsive to abnormal rise in temperature in said flow line for permitting the valve to open and, engageable with said contact point to short circuit the engine ignition element, said means being actuated by the opening movement of the valve, and secondary means for short circuiting the engine ignition element including a barrel in communication with said receptacle, a contact point in the ignition circuit and projected into said barrel, a float in said barrel, and a contact member on said float engageable with said last named contact member for short circuiting said ignition element.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

JAMESv O. LEWIS. IRWIN L. DUNN. 

